4 simple lifestyle changes that significantly improved my health

Since I've started to look for opportunities to become active, my fitness tracker has shown a huge boost in my daily activity. These small changes can really add up over time! One of the things I do the most is I try to walk as much as possible, instead of drive or take transit. Obviously whether I walk will be based on a number of factors such as travel time, the weather and the terrain (Seattle is pretty hilly!) but every time I need to run an errand, I check Google Maps to see how "walkable" it is. For the most part, anything that is within 30-45 minutes from my home, I would consider walkable. I know that a 45 minute walk for most people might sound a little long but you can always put your headphones on an listen to some music or an audiobook and the time will fly by. Sometimes if I'm strapped for time, I might walk one way and take transit the other way to ensure that I get some exercise. I truly think this is one of the easiest things you can do to improve your health. I live in downtown Seattle and have lived in other downtown city centers and the best part about cities is that they are often very walkable. People in the city are more likely to walk to get to a destination than those in the suburbs. I used to live in the suburbs and most of my family does too and often it's just a given that you'll drive somewhere. Walking isn't even a consideration! Regardless of where you live, next time you need to run an errand, consider or even running if you're up for a challenge.

Beside walking, using the stairs is another to get some activity into your day. I used to take the escalator or elevator in malls or the subway station without any thought at all. Why take the stairs when you can take the escalator up faster with less effort? Well, because it's an excellent way to get exercise without strapping those gym shoes on! Now, assuming I don't have my baby with me in her stroller, I always look to see if there are stairs that I can take. Climbing stairs is amazing cardio exercise that allows you to get your heart rate up pretty quickly and challenges your body. If you're feeling up for a challenge, run up the stairs, take two at a time or do squats as you're going up.

Beyond looking for opportunities to get active in your daily activities, you can add exercise "snacks" into your daily routine. These are called exercise snacks for a reason - you don't need to change your clothes or take a shower afterwards - they're small bouts of activity that you incorporate at any time in your day. Here are some examples of exercise snacks I've included in my daily routine whenever I am able:

• 10 squats while brushing my teeth

• 20 pushups or burpees while waiting for my coffee to brew

• 3 pull ups every time you enter a room (this is my husband's personal favorite. He installed a pull up bar on the doorway to his office and does a few pull ups every time he goes in)

You can make these exercises whatever you want and do them whenever you have time which makes them super flexible. Exercise snacks put less pressure on you than a traditional work out session since there is no prep required and basically any activity is good enough! Only got time for 5 squats, not 10? Great! It's better than 0 squats. The addition of these little bits of activity add up over time and can really make you feel better physically. You also feel more accomplished when you know you got some extra activity into your day even if you didn't get a chance to hit the gym.

This has got to be one of the easiest things you can do to improve your health! Staying hydrated has so many benefits - it helps to improve blood flow in the body, digestion and cognitive performance. Staying hydrated has also really helped prevent unnecessary eating in my case. I've more or less eliminated snacking in my life by focusing on hydration. Staying adequately hydrated helps to keep you full between meals and makes you less likely to reach for snacks.

And remember that hydration does not need to come from just water! There are a lot of other ways to get your hydration in. During the winter for example, I love to make soups and stews, as well as drink herbal teas to stay warm and hydrated.